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If the public option is actually back, that could be a sign that they don’t have the votes.

Or, it could be a cynical attempt to get the votes. There are some who won’t vote because there is no public option. This might be an attempt to buy their votes, even though they KNOW the public option won’t make it through the senate.

“The public option is back.”

“Democrats release 2300-page reconciliation bill *Updated*”
http://www.redstate.com/bs/2010/03/14/breaking-democrats-release-2300-page-reconciliation-bill-with-a-public-option/

“And it appears they’ve decided to go all-in on this one. Included in the bill appears to be the “public option” that was removed from the Senate bill. From page 1167 of the bill:

Subtitle B—Public Health Insurance Option

SEC. 221. ESTABLISHMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF A PUBLIC HEALTH INSURANCE OPTION AS AN EXCHANGE-QUALIFIED HEALTH BENEFITS PLAN.

(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—For years beginning with Y1, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this subtitle referred to as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall provide for the offering of an Exchange-participating health benefits plan (in this subdivision referred to as the ‘‘public health insurance option’’) that ensures choice, competition, and stability of affordable, high quality coverage throughout the United States in accordance with this subtitle. In designing the option, the Secretary’s primary responsibility is to create a low-cost plan without compromising quality or access to care.

I’m no legislator, but this sure sounds like a public option to me.

The logic escapes me. If the Democrats didn’t write their own death warrant with the 12/24/09 Senate bill, this should pretty much seal it.

Let me add one other comment, based on a twitter msg from one of our colleagues: when the Dems try to ram through legislation using an unconstitutional process like the “Slaughter Solution”, we should not trust them on anything.”